Shaping part 2 core and lower body covers specific exercises for the core and hips to achieve proper straight body position. This lecture was given at the Gymnastics Association of Texas Conference 2011

1. Shaping Part 2:Core Cont and lower body Brandi Smith-Young, PT Perfect 10.0 Physical Therapy Fellowship trained manual therapist Board certified orthopedic specialist www.perfect10physicaltherapy.com perfect10pt@gmail.com

2. Introduction Competitive gymnast Two time USAG Collegiate National Champions at TWU Bachelors in Kinesiology at TWU Masters in Physical Therapy at Tx St

3. Practicing for 5 years Fellowship trained in Orthopedic manual physical therapy Board certified orthopedic specialist in PT One of 300 therapist in the US with these certifications

4. My passion: Bring sport specific quality care to gymnast Decrease the number of injuries in gymnast Improve performance, recovery time, decrease time lost in the gym, and improve return to sport status Performance Enhancement

5. What’s the most common shape found in gymnastics?

8. Most Common Shape Straight body position Found in: Handstand Round off Set for a flip Release for a flyaway Entry to a vault

9. Due to the stringent requirements placed on gymnast certain muscles naturally tend to develop stronger than others Certain muscles get weak Other muscles develop tighter And some develop stretched

10. Shaping

11. What cause poor shaping? Decreased rib cage range of motion POOR CORE CONTROL!!!!! Decreased shoulder “flexibility” (ROM) and control Decreased hip “flexibility” (ROM) and control

12. Muscle imbalance Some muscles are strong While opposing muscles are weak Some muscles are stretched out While opposing muscles are too tight.

13. Common muscle imbalances Contribute to poor shaping Weak abdominals/core Contribute to rib cage motion Contribute to control Weak shoulder muscles Weak hip muscles Tight Lats and pecs Tight hip muscles

14. To the left is the pre-session handstand. Closed shoulders Arched back Head out To the right is post 1 hour session working on what we are about to talk about.

15. Demonstration Time

16. Rib Mobility Breath in deep and hold breath. Push air from up in the rib cage to down into the lower ribs. Push air back up. Up-down Make sure movement from ribs not hips or shoulder 3 times in one breath x3 Repeat breathing out and hold breath.

17. Rib Mobility Breath in deep and hold breath. Push the air to one side of the rib cage. Then to the other. Make sure movement comes from rib cage, not hips or shoulders. 3 times in one breath x 3 Repeat breathing out and hold breath.

18. Ways to decrease imbalances Strengthen the core Pelvic clock 6 o’clock to 12 o’clock x10 Pelvic tilt (fig 1 & 2) Must tighten belly button up toward the nose and in toward the spine (40-50 on blood pressure cuff) Not straight down into the floor x10 Figure 1 Figure 2

19. Core cont’d Heel Slides (fig 3&4) Start with pelvic tilt (40-50 with blood pressure cuff) Slide R leg out maintaining the tilt No rocking of the hips Monitor hips with hands Slide L leg out back still flat Slide R leg in Slide L leg in = 1 rep x10 Figure 3 Figure 4

20. Core cont’d Handstand position (fig 5&6) Start with pelvic tilt (40-50 with blood pressure cuff) Raise R arm over head maintaining the tilt No rocking of the hips Raise L arm over head back still flat R arm back in L arm back leg in = 1 rep x10 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6

21. Lower Abdominals Bend hips and knees to 90 deg Engage abs pulling belly button up toward the nose and in to the spine, back flat If need to, monitor the abs with hand Keep abs engaged, back flat, knees bent as lower the legs toward the floor Only lower as far as can keep the back flat Progress to lower legs lower Progress to straight knees Must keep form Breath 3-10 reps only to fatigue

22. Core cont’d Hollow hold (fig 7) Start with knees bent hips at 90 deg (pump to 40) pelvic tilt (40-50 with blood pressure cuff) slowly move arms to hollow next to ears position slowly straighten knees out to hollow position Must keep cuff between 50-60 and belly button must stay up toward nose & into toward spine. Make sure belly not pooch out. Hold 10-30 sec Figure 7

23. Tweaking current conditioning Gymnast are great at compensating Make sure they remain hollow, flat back when doing core exercises Do not allow an arch throughout the entire exercise Ie. V-ups on floor or from the bars, hollow holds, sit-ups, crunches, hanging sit ups, etc Do not allow belly to pooch out If can’t keep form decrease lever arm (bend knees or arms)

24. Hip strength Clam ph I (fig 8) Sidelying, roll hip forward. Tighten abs, tighten buttock Keep heels together and lift one knee up Monitor hips, no motion Hold 10 sec x5 Figure 8

25. Strength Iliopsoas Seated Iliopsoas (fig 9) Sitting tall, back straight Tighten abs Lift one leg as high as possible to chest with no motion in back Grab under the leg and lift all the way to chest Let go with hands and hold 5 sec Lower 5 sec x5 figure 9

26. Stretch hip muscles Stretch the hip (fig 10) Pull one knee to chest Tighten abs Slowly slide the other leg out without any motion in hips or low back Squeeze bottom Trying to gently straighten the leg and push down into the floor Hold 10 sec x 5 Figure 10

27. Stretch hip and Quad muscles Hip/Quad stretch (fig 11) Off the edge of a block Pull one knee to chest with flat back Let the other leg hang down Can add 2 pound weight to hanging leg Follow with gymnast squeezing her bottom and pushing down into coaches hand through her thigh (no arch in back) Make sure hip flexors DO NOT contract Hold 30 sec-1 min and repeat 3-4 times going lower each time figure 11

28. Deep hip rotators Windshield Wipers(fig 12) Off the edge of a block Pull one knee to chest with flat back Let the other leg hang down Have the gymnast rotate their hip with the heel inward keeping the thigh to the block Then rotate the hip with the heel outward Repeat x5 Then have them hold in ea position 10 sec x5 each Make sure hip flexors DO NOT contract figure 12

29. Buttock muscles Prone knee bend (fig 13) May need a pillow under belly button Squeeze belly so back is flat (tighten from 70-60 using the blood pressure cuff) Slowly bend knee to buttock without motion in hips or arching at the low back (keep at 60 using the blood pressure cuff) X3 on R, x 3 on L Figure 13

30. Buttock strength cont’d Prone knee bend lift (fig 14) Start in with prone knee bend, turn 1 foot inward in figure 4 position (tighten from 70-60 using the blood pressure cuff) Keep abs tight and no motion in low back or hips slowly lift knee up of the ground (keeping the cuff btw 80-100) Hold 10 sec x5 NO ARCHING Figure 14

31. WHEN DO I STRETCH? The end of workout when the tissue has been heated through the workout which increased core temperature. This is when you will get your greatest changes. You must stretch within 24 hours to maintain the changes or the tissue will creep back to prior length. Latest research is showing greatest changes with stretching with vibration at 30 Hz (ie. Massager) Showing that stretching tolerance is the key to increased flexibility. The vibration tricks the nerves that feel pain into relaxing and allows for a stretch without the defensive muscle contraction.

32. Contact Information Perfect 10.0 Physical Therapy & Performance Training www.perfect10physicaltherapy.com perfect10pt@gmail.com 512-426-6593 Follow Perfect10PT on gymanstike, facebook, and twitter

33. All information from: The Manual Therapy Institute http://www.mtitx.com/ Shirley Sahrmann. Diagnosis and Treatment of Movement Impairment Syndrome.